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The View virtual machine is not accessible and the View Administration console shows the virtual machine status as "Already Used" (1000590)

Cause

If a desktop that is set to refresh or delete after log off is reset, the desktop goes into the Already Used state, or possibly the Agent Disabled state.

This security feature prevents any previous session data from being available during the next log in, but leaves the data intact to enable administrators to access the desktop and retrieve lost data or investigate the root cause of the reset. Administrators can then refresh or delete the desktop.

The View desktop can also go into the Already Used state if a virtual machine is powered on in another ESX host in the cluster in response to an HA event, or if it was shut down without reporting to the broker that the user had logged out.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, perform a refresh of the desktop using the View Administration console. For more information, see the VMware Horizon View Administration document.

Alternatively, from Horizon View 5.2, you can configure the behavior of View Connection Server with respect to such desktops. The following values are supported, and methods for configuring these values follow:

0 - Mark the virtual machine as Already Used (this is the default).

1 - Ignore policies and return to the Available state. This setting enables the virtual machine to be used by another user. Use this setting only if it is acceptable that a user could be given a virtual machine that contains previous session data left by another user.

2 - Immediately remove the virtual machine by pool policy. The virtual machine will automatically be refreshed or deleted, depending on pool policy.

Configuration method using View PowerCLI:

To configure View to use an alternative setting (note the setting will apply to all View Connection Servers in a cluster), perform the following:

1. On the View Connection Server host, click Start > All Programs > VMware > View PowerCLI.

2. Run the following PowerShell code:

     function Set-DirtyVmPolicy([string]$desktopid, [int]$policy) {
     $pool = [ADSI]("LDAP://localhost:389/cn=" + $desktopid + ",ou=server groups,dc=vdi,dc=vmware,dc=int")
     $pool.put("pae-DirtyVmPolicy", $policy )
     $pool.setinfo()
     }

Where you provide the identity of the pool that is to be updated and specify the value 0, 1, or 2 to select the new policy.

Configuration method using ADSI Edit:

Alternatively, you can use the ADSI Edit utility to change the value of the pae-DirtyVmPolicy attribute:

For detailed instructions on using ADSI Edit to connect to the View ADAM Database see KB 2012377.

1. Start the ADSI Edit utility on your View Connection Server host. For example: Start->Programs->ADAM->ADAM ADSI Edit.

2. Select or type a Distinguished Name or connect to DC=vdi, DC=vmware, DC=int.

3. Select or type a domain or server to localhost:389.

4. On the object CN=pool_name, OU=Server Groups, set the pae-DirtyVmPolicy attribute to the selected mechanism described above. You must type an integer between 0 and 2.

Update History

01/20/2012 - Updated to include VMware View Manager 5.0 in product versions 08/20/2012 - Updated KB to say this can occur on delete after logoff

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